Wisconsin forest products will be showcased on Oct. 20-26 during Forest Products Week. According to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources forestry officials, this designated week celebrates the many vital products that come from our forests, the people who work in and care for our forests and the businesses that manufacture wood products.
“While many Wisconsin residents appreciate that forests are an essential part of our state’s history, culture and environment, fewer people realize the economic impact of the 17 million acres of forests in Wisconsin,” said DNR Forest Products Team Leader Collin Buntrock.
“The forest products sector contributes to Wisconsin’s economic prosperity by generating $24.1 billion in goods and services annually and employing more than 60,000 citizens,” Buntrock said. “The economic impact reaches every corner of the state, and forestry is the number one employer in 10 Wisconsin counties.”
Buntrock said that forest products have a broad impact in Wisconsin as every forestry job supports additional jobs in the state.
“The 1,200 companies in Wisconsin’s forest products industry — plus another 280 companies in the logging and forestry support sectors — produce a wide variety of products, from doors and windows to flooring,” Buntrock said. “And Wisconsin has been the top papermaking state in the nation for more than 60 years.”
“Sustainable timber harvests go far beyond the economic impacts and the vital products they provide for our everyday lives,” Buntrock said. “They also promote new forest growth, improve wildlife habitat and provide income for woodland owners to improve the ecology of their property.”
“Perhaps the best thing about forest products is that they come from a renewable resource,” Buntrock said. “They are recyclable, durable and energy-efficient. And healthy, growing forests play a key role in absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen and storing carbon over time.”
Join Wisconsin’s forestry community in celebrating our working forests and the many ways they improve our lives! To learn more about forest products, visit the DNR website.
Leave a Reply